Chapter 2

I went downstairs feeling like I failed at being a sister. Something caught my eye, I opened the door to see Oliver and Benjamin Allen getting out of their buggy, I smiled finally this was over. "I came to call on Lizzie," he told me. I let out a sigh, "It's about time," I said. I showed them in, "Miss Lucille," Benjamin said nodding with a smirk, as the maid Cora took their hat and coat. He knew I hated when people called me Lucille, before I could say anything, we heard an awful yell from the garden. "Lord in heaven," Cora said as we all looked through the house towards the back door.. We ran back through the house, there by the brick wall was Lizzie. "Miss Lucy, don't look," the gardener Albert yelled standing next to her. It was too late I saw her, I tried to scream, but no sound had come out, I tried to run to her. Benjamin grabbed me and pulled me to him, my face frozen in horror staring at the house but all I could see was Lizzie laying on the ground her head bleeding. My arms pinned grabbing on to Ben's shirt as I tried to breath. It felt like someone had pelted me in the stomach, Ben's strong arms held me up, finally I buried my face in his shoulder. Oliver rolled her over, "Lizzie," he called. She wasn't dead; she opened her eyes and smiled at him. He picked her up and took her to her room, Albert went to fetch the doctor. "Can you stand?" Ben asked slowly releasing me. I nodded still shaking, he took a step back and he looked at me, "Why did she," I started. He shook his head, "I don't know," he said. He helped me up to her room, "Why did you do this, darling," Oliver said brushing her hair back, as she continued to smile at him. There was blood around her head, her hair was soaked with blood, "Grab some more rags," Cora told me as she came rushing in with a bowl of water and a rag. I nodded and ran down the hall saying a prayer the whole time, for God to please just let her live. When I made it back, Cora's face was ashen, she had seen something. "What?" I asked. "Best wait for the doctor," she told me and put the dry clean rags over her head. The doctor finally arrived and we were asked to leave, so the three of us headed downstairs as my mother walked in the door. She went running to my sister's room, I was still in shock. This didn't feel real, Ben walked me over to the couch and sat his hands holding mine, while Oliver paced.

The doctor came down after what felt like hours and we stood at attention, "If she makes it through the night it will be a miracle. Tell your father I'll come back in the morning to check on her. I'll call the hospital in the next town and see about getting her up there should she live," he said as Cora helped him put on his coat and hat. "She was awake when we got to her," Oliver said. "Well, she's slipped into a coma now, there's nothing to do but wait," the doctor explained. "Thank you," I said. He nodded to Oliver and Benjamin and walked out. Oliver went up to Lizzie's room, "I better be heading back to tell my father," Benjamin said. "Ben," I called and for a moment our eye locked, his blue eyes were so kind and I felt like maybe things were going to be ok. "Thank you," I told him grabbing on to his hand. He looked down at our hands and squeezed mine, "Lucy, I realize this may not be the right time, but I was wondering if I might….." he began but we were interrupted by my father coming in the door. "What are you doing here?" my father asked Benjamin. My father's eyes looked down at our hands and we instantly dropped them, "Oh Mr. Mills I came here with my brother," Benjamin stuttered. "What is he doing here Lucy, where is the little bastard," he shouted angrily. "Papa please, Lizzie jumped from her window," I told him. "WHAT!" he shouted and marched up to her bedroom. We could hear my father yelling as we ran up behind him, "Do you have any idea what you've done," he yelled at Oliver. "I'm sorry sir," he apologized. "You have no business in my house," my father shouted. "Clarence, please don't yell," my mother pleaded. "Maybe we ought to go," Benjamin told Oliver. "No," he answered. "With all due respect sir, I love your daughter and I believe I need to be by her side," he stammered clearly afraid of standing up to my father. My father looked completely dumb founded, no one had ever stood up to him before, "Tomorrow was to be our wedding and if she survives this I intend on keeping our wedding," he stammered through. "If she survives this, you are the last person I would permit her to marry. I'm head of this house and you boy, need to leave immediately," my father shouted. In that moment I felt such sadness for Oliver; I think everyone except my father did. "Clarence," my mother pleaded. "She can do better than the likes of him. He caused this mess, calling her a snob," my father commanded. Oliver hung his head realizing he wasn't going to win against my father; he took one last look at Lizzie, kissed her hand and walked out with Benjamin behind him. "Clarence Mills, that was the meanest thing you've ever done and when Lizzie wakes up and hears, she will never forgive you," my mother said storming out. It was silent a moment, "Well, I suppose you hate me too," my father said looking at me confused. "I don't hate you father, but I just wonder if it was Oliver who caused this mess," I said a little more angry than I should have. "What does that mean?" He asked. "She jumped because she thought Oliver didn't want to talk to her anymore. She thought that because he didn't respond to any of her letters," I accused. My father looked at me, "If he didn't answer her letters, then it is his fault," my father stammered. "He didn't get the letters did he?" I asked. "I took them to town," he told me. "But Oliver never received them, so you are the reason she jumped, Papa not Oliver," I accused and walked out.

I ran down the stairs and out the door, "Oliver," I yelled as I ran down the porch. They stopped their buggy, I took a minute to catch my breath, "Tonight sneak around back to the garden. I'll let you in the back door," I said to him. "Oh thank you, Miss Lucy," he said. I smiled, Benjamin winked at me and they drove off. I walked back inside, "What did you say to them?" my father asked once I reached the door. "Only that I would report to him once the doctor has been here," I answered smugly. "I suppose the boy should know," my father said.

We walked into the sitting room, "Let this be a lesson to you Lucy," my father began pulling out his pipe. "What's that Papa?" I asked still having distain in my voice. My mother came in with Josephine my father's mother, "Run off with the man you love and don't let your father get involved," my grandmother said. "This is not a laughing situation mother," my father said sternly. "I was being serious, if your foolish pride hadn't gotten in the way, your daughter would be getting married tomorrow not laying in her death bed," my grandmother shouted back. "Mother, I'd like it if you'd stay out of this," he said. "If your father, God rest his soul, was alive he get a switch and have at you," she said. You could tell where my father inherited his temper from. "You meddled in your daughter's love life and nearly scared the poor boy away," she kept going, "It's his courage that brought him back here, his courage and his love for Lizzie. You'd be awfully blessed to have a man like that for a son in-law," my grandmother said with a nod of her head. She and my mother headed upstairs to tend to Lizzie, "Can you believe that, a grown man getting a tongue lashing in his own house," my father said puffing his pipe. If he had just stayed out of it the argument would have resolved its self and my sister wouldn't have felt like her life was over.

Our maid Cora and I sat up that night, watching over Lizzie and like I told him Oliver was out in the garden. I waited until midnight when I was sure my father and mother were asleep and let him in the back door. Benjamin was with him, "Thank you a thousand times over, Miss Lucy," Oliver whispered. I smiled and nodded and lead them up the back stairway to Lizzie's room. We walked in, Cora gasped, "Miss Lucy, you did it now. If your father catches them here we're all in trouble," she whispered. "Father isn't going to find out because no one will tell him. Besides, they will be gone before sun rise," I whispered back and nodded to Oliver who assured Cora they would be gone. "I don't want nothing to do with this," she told me sternly her eye wide with fear. "Don't worry," I repeated. Cora left the room. "I'm sure she can hear you, just talk to her," I told him, as he sat down next to her bedside. He held her hand, "Oh Lizzie, I wish you would just open your eyes and see how much I love you," he said. It felt awkward standing there listening to him, but I in truth I was afraid my father would wake up. "Miss. Lucille, why don't we talk a walk in the garden, and give him a moment," Benjamin whispered. I scowled at him but I agreed and we walked out, Cora was sitting watch outside the door. She raised a brow as we headed down the back stairs.

We walked through the Ivy covered opening of the garden stopped at a bench by the roses. The sky was full of twinkling stars and the moon shown as a lantern down among the flowers. The warm summery breeze wafted the scent of roses and jasmine. "Your mother has a wonderful garden," Benjamin said. "I love to come out here to clear my head," I agreed. "I wanted to call on you, but that doesn't seem possible now," he said hanging his head. "Maybe you should anyway," I said looking over with a flirty grin. He picked his head up and looked at me; trying to be coy I got up and began walking; "What about now?" I asked. "What about now?" he asked back, following me. "Well, you're here and I'm here, so couldn't you call on me now?" I asked raising my brow. He stopped me, "I don't hide anything I do," he told me. "I don't either," I replied furrowing my brow in confusion. "And another thing, I don't play games," he said getting worked up. I shushed him, "I'm sorry, but when I like someone I come out and say it. I like you but I'm not going to go around and around with games, that's what got Lizzie and Oliver in this mess in the first place," he explained. "I.." I stammered, but he kept going. "If they had just been plain honest with each other instead of these silly coy games, they'd be getting married," he stated pacing. I just watched him in disbelief, I never noticed how handsome he was, he had a strong build and taller than me. Then he stopped right in front of me, "I suppose you want the kind of man who will tell you you're more beautiful than the roses in the moon light. Or that your voice sound prettier then the lark in the meadow," he said looking right into my eyes. It felt as if his blue eyes could see right into my very soul and read me like an open book. I stood there trying to remember how to breathe, "Or that a man could lose himself in the forest of your brown eyes," he whispered. "I… I…" I stuttered. "Well, that's not me," he said with a little anger in his voice. That did it a little flame began to grow in me, "You think you're so smart telling me what I want," I shot back matching his anger. "I only meant," he began but I interrupted him, "The whole reason they are in this mess is because Oliver tried to tell my sister what kind of person she is. So don't presume to tell me who I am," I said getting up and walking away. I stopped and turned around, "And another thing, if you could stop your rant long enough you could hear me say that I like you too," I said getting a little loud. Cora came running in shushing us before either could get another word out. "What's the matter wit the two a you, out here hollarin, you wanna wake up Mr. Clarence," she scolded quietly. "Sorry Cora," I said folding my hands and looking down.

We went back upstairs and as promised Benjamin and Oliver left before sunrise. It at about seven thirty when the doctor came. My father, mother, grandmother and I stood in silence while he conducted his exam. "I'm afraid there is no change," the doctor said. "That's a good thing, right?" my mother calmly asked. "It's not bad but it's not good, she could remain in this state, I've called over at the hospital to make preparations for her to be transported there," he answered packing up his things. "So what do we do?" my grandmother persisted. "Just keep talking to her, maybe if she hears her life is still waiting for her she will wake up," he replied. "And give her one spoonful of this twice a day, I'll send my nurse to stay with her tonight," he finished. "Thank you, Doctor," my father said. He nodded, "I'll see myself out," he said. My mother walked over and sat down next to Lizzie rubbing her hand and talking to her, "Dearest, wake up please," she pleaded. My father walked over to me and whispered, "Hadn't you better go and deliver some news." "Oh, yes," I said smiling. "I bet that young man is sick with worry," my grandmother chimed in. "So, you'd better hurry," my father winked. "Yes, Father," I answered and left the room.

I grabbed a buggy and headed through town to the Allen ranch on the other side of town. When I arrived Oliver was sitting on the porch, he came out and met my buggy, "You're driving a buggy, so I'm guessing good news?" he asked. "Not good news, not bad news," I told him. "I don't understand," he said. By this time his parents and a two sisters were on the porch, "There's no change," I explained. "So, what is the doctor going to do?" he asked. "He's given her some kind of medicine and he's sending his nurse to sit up with her tonight," I told him. "But if there's a nurse…." he trailed off. "I know, I'll figure something out, just come anyway," I said. "You're taking an awfully big risk, Miss Lucy," he told me. "I know, but she's my sister, she loves you and maybe if she hears you she'll wake up," I explained. He nodded, "Thank you," he said. I smiled and looked up to see Benjamin; he was a sight to see on his horse with rope in his hand. That angry fire and stubborn streak I got from my father came back, I straighten up and snubbed him, "Miss. Lucy, Ben would kill me if he knew I told you, but I don't want what's happened with me and your sister to happen to you. He got into a heated argument with my father over courting you," Oliver said. My head snapped down to him and my brow furrowed, "What?" I asked in disbelief. "He told our father he was in love with you," Oliver said with a smile. I scoffed, "He has a strange way of trying to woo a girl," I said. "Don't be too hard on him," Oliver replied with a smile. "Good day Oliver," I said with a smile. He tipped his hat and walked back to his family, "Lucy," Mrs. Allen called, she sent one of the girls in the house and came running to my buggy. "Yes, Ma 'me," I replied. "Tell your mother, I'm terribly sorry, and I'm praying for your family," she said. "Thank you, Mrs. Allen. We're very grateful," I told her. "I baked this pie fresh this morning, please take it," she offered. I took the pie and smiled, "Thank you, Mrs. Allen," I said appreciatively, she backed up and I headed home.